


Next Year All Our Troubles Will Be Miles Away

by sleepyfaceandsnark (teamwinchesterbros)



Series: Here In My Arms Series [4]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: AU, Christmas, Christmas AU, Fluff, Gen, Illness, M/M, ill mickey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 05:25:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5527670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teamwinchesterbros/pseuds/sleepyfaceandsnark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Mickey's told he won't be able to come home for Christmas, Ian decorates his hospital room to make him feel more at home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Next Year All Our Troubles Will Be Miles Away

_“He wont be able to come home for Christmas.”_

Ian hears the doctors voice echo in his mind.

He calls Fiona as soon as the doctor’s done talking.

“He says Mickey’s not properly reacting to the medication or something and I won’t be able to afford the proper shit to have him stay home in his condition for another few months.”

“So it’s either him improving or if you coming into a shitton of money?”

Ian sighs. “Pretty much.” He rubs his eyes. He really put so much on Mickey being able to come home for Christmas and now that he knew it’s impossible it’s overwhelming.

“You tell him yet?” Fiona asks, sadly.

“No, not yet.” Ian clears his throat. “I’m about to though so I…”

“Right. Of course. If you need anything…either of you, just let me know, okay?”

“Yeah…thanks, Fi.”

Ian hangs up the phone and waits outside Mickey’s room, readying himself to go in. He wipes his eyes quickly and tries to put on a better front for Mickey.

He opens the door while knocking on the wood as he enters.

He walks over to Mickey’s bed, trying to ignore all the wires and uncomfortable sounds coming from the machines by him.

He sniffles a bit, blaming it on the cold. “Hey, Mickey.” He runs his fingers lightly on Mickey hand in case he didn’t hear him. “Mick?”

Mickeys moves his head from on the pillow and looks up to Ian. He grabs Ian’s hand weakly.  Ian tries to smile but it fails within seconds. Looking at Mickey sympathetically.

“What’s that look?” Mickey asks quietly, poking Ian with his free finger from grasping on to Ian’s hand. If Ian wasn’t used to it by now he wouldn’t be able to make out that Mickey even said anything.

Ian shakes his head. “I uh…talked to your doctor.”

Mickey brow furrows. That doesn’t sound good.

Ian looks down “You’re not uh…reacting to the medication as quickly as they thought you would I guess…”

Mickey nods.

“So I… won’t be able to bring you home for Christmas,” Ian bites his lip, looking up at Mickey sadly.

“Oh…” Mickey pulls his hand away from Ian’s and uses it to steady himself to sit up better. “I’m gonna be alone?”

“What? No! No…” He scoots closer to Mickey. “I’ll be here.”

“Your family.”

“They can have it without me.”

Mickey looks at him uncertain. He takes Mickey’s hand back. “I’m not leaving you alone on Christmas.”

Mickey smiles grateful and nods.

 “You gonna be my Santa Claus?” Mickey says, a small playful smile appearing.

Ian laughs. “Ho, ho, ho,” He says as he moves to kiss Mickey’s cheek.

 

A few days later, and two days before Christmas, Mickey wakes up to an “ow fuck,”

He opens his eyes, the smell of the hospital welcoming him once again, and blinks several times to focus his eyes. He looks around and sees dozens and dozens of lights, above him, throughout the room and even surrounding is bed. There’s stockings tapped to the window sill and small wreaths around the walls. He looks to where he first hear the noise and sees Ian trying to hang one of the wreaths up.

“The fuck are you doing?” Mickey groans, rubbing his eyes again.

Ian turns around, getting off the chair he was standing on and walks over to Mickey. “Oh shit. Did I wake you?”

“Nah,” Mickey moves around the bed, struggling to sit up. He winces slightly.

“You alright?”

“Yeah, yeah. Just waking up,” Mickey gives something between a huff and a laugh, “always hard to do.” He gives Ian a reassuring smile. “What’s all this?” He asks motioning to the rest of the room.

Ian shrugs and laughs. “Figured I’d decorate a little. Put you in the Christmas spirit.”

“Mmm nothing says Christmas like being stuck in a hospital.”

Ian looks down.

“Hey, it’s great. Thanks.”

Ian looks up and smiles. “Yeah?”

“Mhmm.” He looks around the room again. “Think maybe you went a little overboard with the lights?”

“Nah. I think I did probably the correct amount.”

Mickey chuckles which turns into coughing, sadly not a rarity. It’s stops quickly though. Mickey breathes in his oxygen deeper, looking at an always worried Ian. “M’ okay.”

Ian opens his mouth to say something when they hear a knock at the door as it opens.

“Hope I’m not interrupting,” Mickey’s main doctor enters. “How are you doing Mickey?” He ask.

Mickey shrugs. “Been worse,” He says, thinking about what brought him here in the first place.

The doctor smiles and nods. “I was wondering if I could speak to you outside real quick?” The doctor turns to Ian.

“Oh…uh sure…” Ian gets up and follows the doctor outside after he waves Mickey goodbye.

Mickey starts getting anxious and tries to refrain from biting his nails. After a few more minutes Ian returns. His face not showing much. 

Ian sits down in the chair next to him again.

“Shit what is it? Am I dying…?” Mickey asks. “Like…actively.”

Ian scoffs. “No.” He looks around the room. “Looks like all this decorating was for nothing.”

Mickey nods. “Oh is it illegal in hospitals or something?”

Ian shakes his head and tries to hide his face. His smile comes through anyways and Mickey is even more confused.

“Apparently…by some goddamn miracle…” Ian can’t stop his smiling now. “You got the go ahead to come home.”

Mickey looks at Ian not believing. “What do you mean?”

“I can take you home tomorrow. I mean unless something happens. But as of now.”

“I’m going home?”

Ian nods. “They just want you to stay tonight just to be sure but…”

“I’m going home.” Mickey repeats.

“You’re going home.”

Mickey can’t stop smiling. It’s been hell staying in the hospital. He hated hospitals as is but having an extended stay in one was torture. He hated the smell, he hated the machine noises, he hated the strange doctors and nurses checking in on him every hour, and most of all he hated not being home and with Ian.

“Guess I should start taking these down then, huh?” Ian asks.

“Eh leave em for a bit. I’m suddenly feeling very Christmassy.”

To Ian’s observations now Mickey had seemed to have been getting better slowly but surely since Ian was told he wouldn’t be able to come home for Christmas. He didn’t think of it till the doctor spoke to him today.

Ian grins. “I’ll come by early and take them down tomorrow.”

Ian stays a little while longer and they watch some Christmas special on tv.

“I should get going.” Ian says after a few hours. “Got some last minute errands to run all of the sudden”

“Hey, no you don’t have to get me anything.”

Ian grins. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He gets up and grabs his jacket. He leans down to Mickey to kiss him goodbye but notices his sad face.

“What is it?”

“I’m just waiting for someone to pop out and say ‘just kidding you have to stay’ or for the doctor to come back saying he got the wrong information or something.”

Ian sighs and palms Mickey’s hair. “That’s not gonna happen.” He kisses Mickey. “I”ll come by as early as I can so we can get you the fuck out of here and home.”

“You better,” Mickey says back as Ian leaves.

 

Mickey wakes up the next morning and thanks whoever or whatever is responsible that he doesn’t feel worse. He knows he not better or cured just stable enough he’s able to say at home, granted probably mostly on bedrest. The doctor comes in a little after and checks him over again insuring that he can actually go home.

And sure enough as soon as vising hours open up Ian is there.

“You ready to leave this shithole?” Ian asks. (Least for a little while.)

Mickey lays his head back in the pillow and looks up to the ceiling. “Fuck yes.”

“Good. We just have to sign some shit and you’re good.”

Mickey smiles.

“Need help getting dressed or anything?” Ian asks searching in his bag for Mickey’s clothes.

“Nah I think…I think I can get it.”

Ian nods. “I’ll be right back.”

Mickey puts his legs over the bed and slides into his jeans. The shirt proves a little more challenging. He’s used to button downs now. His doctor took him off all the machines except his oxygen and the wires and IVs were removed.

Ian comes back finding Mickey entangled in his shirt. Ian grabs Mickey’s shirt back wanting to smack himself for bringing a t shirt. He goes through the bangs and finds a flannel one. “Here this will be easier.” He drapes it around Mickey’s shoulders as Mickey puts his arm in the holes and Ian helps button them.

Granted Mickey could’ve taken his nasal cannula out as he put the shirt on, knowing he’d have to be disconnected from his oxygen temporarily as they connected him to a more portable machine but he didn’t think of it. Plus the flannel was probably warmer anyways as it was now winter in Chicago he’d probably want to be as bundled as possible.

As the wait “patiently” for the final go ahead by his doctor Ian takes down the decorations he put up the day before as Mickey watches.

The doctor comes in when Ian’s about done and checks Mickey over again.

“Still good to go. If you two need anything you can call me anytime.” He says as he leaves. A nurse comes in soon after and connects Mickey to his mobile oxygen. He should really think of a name for it as they’ll be having a lot of time together.

Ian takes the last decoration out and puts it in the bag he brought.

He looks at Mickey pulling something out of the bag but hiding it behind his back.

“It’s freezing out there so you’re gonna need to bundle up.” He says putting a oddly shaped package in front of Mickey.

“What’s this?” He asks.

“A gift.”

“But it’s not Christmas yet.”

“You’ll need it,” Ian laughs. “Trust me.”

Mickey sighs and tears open the gift. He chuckles. It’s a beanie but not any regular beanie oh no.

“I know how much you love Batman,” Ian says. “And I was pretty sure you said he was your favorite.” Ian points to Mickey’s gift.

Mickey turns it around in his hand. It’s black…well mostly and all around it is written “Ha Ha Ha Ha.” The front has an outline of red lips.

“Fuckin love the Joker.”

Ian smiling, knowing he got it right.

Mickey puts the beanie on and smiles up at Ian like an excited kid.

“Looks badass,” Ian says. “Especially on you.” He leans down and kisses Mickey, Mickey kisses back and Ian’s surprised by how strong it is.

“But for real,” Ian says pulling out several of Mickey’s jackets. “It’s fuckin’ freezing out.”

 

 

 

They make it home and Ian gets a call from Fiona inviting him and the newly free patient to stay over Christmas eve. Ian’s skeptical. He’s at first was worried about Mickey getting into the house and around but remembers the accommodations him and Lip helped build a few months back. And Fiona got a pull out couch, getting rid of the old one that smelled too much like Frank, so they wouldn’t have to worry about climbing all the stairs. But it’s Mickey’s first night and he’s not sure if a house full of people in a house that isn’t his is a good idea.

Mickey decides to convince him otherwise and after being home for less than an hour they’re already packing stuff up to go back out, granted only a few houses down.

 

They make it to the Gallaghers and Mickey’s grateful they kept it small. Debbie, Liam, Carl, and Fiona were there, Lip deciding to stop by early in the morning, and the Balls stayed home with their kids.

They all greet Mickey warmly and let him know how glad they are he’s home. Mandy calls Ian later and ends up calling them both shitheads for not telling her sooner but says she’s happy Mickey’s doing better and she hopes to come home before the year ends.

Life would be easier with her here but Mickey knows she’s 10 time happier in New York.

They have a small dinner, ham with some sides, Ian already having a schedule for Mickey’s medication, and though there’s a lot of “you doing okay”’s from Ian it’ll take a bit before Mickey’s sick of it. He’s in utter ecstasy at the recent events. Actually being home, actually being home FOR CHRISTMAS.

Mickey over estimates his energy and falls asleep soon after the already early dinner. Ian later waking him up to pull out the pull out couch. They fall asleep next to each other so closely, both missing having the other around their arms.

 

The morning comes and surprisingly Mickey’s the first to wake. He observes the quiet house, the gifts that somehow magically appeared under the tree, though he’s not sure if they were there after dinner last night or not.

The kids all come down one by one practically till they’re all there, and Lip comes by early as promised.

They open gifts and give them out to each other. Mickey has a whole pile by him, all from Ian.

“Shit…but I didn’t get you anything,” Mickey says.

Ian looks at him, his eyes soft. “You’re here. That’s all I want for Christmas. You’re home.”

Mickey puts his hand on the side of Ian’s face and smiles warmly. “All I want for Christmas is to be home with you.” He pulls Ian’s head down and they kiss again.

Mickey pulls away. “But…I think….” He looks around and makes eye contact with Debbie. She stares confused at first and then her eyes go wide. She excuses herself. “I may have actually…”

Debbie comes over with a big bag of wrapped gifts. “….got you some stuff.”

Mickey laughs pulling out each present and putting them in a pile by Ian like he had to him.

“How did you?”

Mickey shrugs. “Had a little help,” He winks to Debbie who smiles and shakes her head.

One of the gifts Mickey gives Ian is Rock Em Sock Em Robots and they all take turns playing. Other board games or activities seemed to be other people’s present and they spend the rest of the day playing with them.

The day ends with them all hoping the next year brings them better news than the past one and that they each can grow and get better in their own way.

 

 

 

 


End file.
